Luck is a skill

In July I started working in Art Journal number seven (7!)! Can you believe it? My style is really evolving right now, because I work in it all through the day when I’m at home.

This is the first spread I made in it:

It’s the darkest one so far, and it’s about not having a home. I’m moving this month and I have to pack everything and organize, throw out, fold, clean, sort… and I hate it. So instead I sit and make art. It’s more rewarding!

Quote from Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit, a book that I’ve been reading lately. I love it, and I really recommend it to anybody wanting to get into a habit of being more creative. I loved reading about how she puts together dance shows, learning about a world I didn’t know anything about. But it’s not a book written just for dancers, it’s for writers, collage artists and everybody who wants to live a creative life!

Twyla’s first tips in it, to start your day in a special way, and make it a routine really hit home with me. I’m only sorry I can get it going for myself. Twyla grabs a cab and goes to the gym and exercises for one hour each day! Impressive.

My habit is having coffee right now, for two hours! And that is really not a good way to “start up” the day with energy and confidence. What I would like is to do yoga, or at least meditate for 10 minutes. Why is it so hard? Why am I so slow?
ME? A spread inspired by an image by Traci Bunkers. I wish I could take her class, but I can’t. I can’t afford it and I’m not even in the same continent as her. But I love that I can be inspired by all of you over seas through the Internet.

Please, if you have the time, I want feedback on these spreads! :-) What do you think?

14 Responses to Luck is a skill

really like your self-portrait, very cool. i’m fortunate to be able to travel once a year overseas for a cool class or two since we have nothing similar in our hemisphere. to me the internet is most inspiring and helpful. great spreads, especially like the textures in the second spread. and what a great idea to start the day in a special way. will think about it…

bummer… your enlargements aren’t viewable; I get a message saying I don’t have permission.
the top image is full of yearning it seems, for a more settled life, and the desire for the wedding and a family? you are still very sad about the breakup with the boyfriend, yes?
I like the colors and the quote in the middle one. And the person just diving in; into creativity, life, experiences?
The expression on the face (yours?) in the bottom image is rather poignant. Searching for something? Lovely shade of brown on the left side. I would like to see more texture, but I think that is just me! and it’s a bit hard over the ‘net :-) to feel the textures. the map is a good addition-adds to the context of the piece. I wish I could read the written sections, but I think there are many clues to who you are just from the images.
I really like your work. expressive, creative, introspective… I haven’t yet delved into collage, although my crazy quilting is an attempt at it. It’s so hard to clean up glue and paint without running water :-) but someday I will try it.

Girl, you are my journaling guru! *^v^*
The first spread is dark but not sad, in fact the image of the bed peaks comfort and calmness to me. The colours are great, these are the ones I’m going to choose for my Autumn palette in my clothes, I love violets and dark reds.
The second spread carries so much energy, so much movement, and the images are very refreshing, you just want to get up and start doing something. ^^
I love the last spread, it shows that you’re occupied by many things and that’s good I think, there is so much to choose from when you get bored with one thing. ^^
I totally agree with what you wrote about attending the courses, I feel the same, as if I was isolated from all the opportunities of getting new skills and learning great things in person, from the masters.

These are really beautiful pages. I especially like the last two ~ your self portrait is arresting and the colours and textures in the middle page are really appealing. I love love love your calligraphy.

I think these are all wonderful spreads. So very different each one. Displaying a different mindset. I love artists who can change color palettes on a dime without leaving a stilted or unnatural affect. These are very inspiring. I REALLY need to get back in the art journal habit. It just makes an artist grow by leaps and bounds.